Fastener for barrier-post cables



Feb; 5, 1929 N. F. BROWN FASTENER FOR BARRIER POST CABLES Filed Dec. 23,1927 WITNESSES INVENTOR Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES NORMAN F. BROWN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

FASTENEB FOR BARRIER-POST CABLES.

Application flledJJecember 23, 1927. Serial No. 24,196.

The invention relates to roadway guards comprising a cable slung Ibetween barrier posts, and it has to do especially with meanscooperating with a post to support the cable in spaced-away relation tothe post.

One of the chief objects of the invention is to provide a device forsupporting a guard cable from a barrier post in such a manner that thehubs of a vehicle wheel impinging against the cable can not strike thepost.

Other 01 iects of the invention are to provide a device of the typereferred to which shall be of simple and inexpensive construction,easily applied to and removed from a post, efficient in operation,strong and durable.

It is the practice on well kept highways to put barriers on the outsidesof sharp curves, and along dangerous hillsides where automobiles byskidding off the road would be in unusual danger. strong posts, of wood,steel tubes, or concrete, usually spaced apart a considerable distance.Two wire cables are ordinarily stretched be- 2 tween posts, and drawntight. The posts are placed as far apart as may be consistent withgiving suflicient stren th to the barrier, it being desirable to catcautomobiles that get out of bounds by the comparatively resilientcables, rather than the rigid posts. Usually the car strikes suchbarriers at an acute angle, and the outside front wheel in most casescontacts first with the wire cables. These are spaced so that the upperone will be above the hub of the usual car wheel, and the lower-onebelow the hub. The tendency is for the front wheel to deflected so thatit will lie in the plane of t e barrier cables, and the car will thusslide along and follow the cables, the impact being reduced to aglancing blow. But if the car does not right itself and its directionquickly, it comes to one of the posts supporting the cables. Asordinarily constructed, the cables pass through holes in the osts, orelse are clamped directly thereon. onsequently, the hub of the wheelstrikes the post, and serious damage is likely to follow.

The present invention is designed to remedy this danger by spacing thecable inward from the posts s ch distance that with the ordinary automoile or truck wheel sliding along the cables and in full contacttherewith the hub will clear the post. The cable is held so close to thetip of ts carrier bracket that there is not suflieient projection tocatch the These barriers consist of wheels, the tires readily slidingover the brackets and on along the cables.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents an end view of one formof the cablesupporting device; Fi 2 and 3 are sectional views taken onlines I II and IIIIII, respectively of Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 4 areelevation and plan views showing a portion of a guard fence builtaccording to the invention, and- Fig. 5 is a modification of the deviceshown in Figs. 1 t0 3.

A preferred embodiment of the cable-sup porting device is shown in Fi s.1 to 3. It comprises a bracket member of ox-like form, forged or castfrom ferrous or other suitable metal, having a relatively flat end face1, against which the cable bears, and from which side faces 2, 2", and3, 3 flare outwardly and downwardly, terminating in post-contacting basesurfaces 4. Bolt-receiving openings 5 and 6 are formed through the faceportion 1. The base surfaces 4 of the side faces 2 and 2 are shaped toform a saddle portion which conforms to the curvature of the post, thusproviding a secure seat, and post-engaging lugs or teeth -7 disposedabout the base at the points of intersection of the side faces assist inmaintaining the bracket rigidly against, the post. 7

In the use of this bracket, it is placed at the proper point on the sideof a barrier post 8 nearest the roadway, and a hook bolt, prefer ably ofsteel, but possibly of any other strong metal, having a long arm 9, aloop portion 10 and a short arm 11 is inserted in openings 5 no and 6,and arm 9 is passed through a suitable opening previously provided inthe post.

A guard cable 12 is engaged by the loop, and

by tightenin a nut 13 on the opposite end of arm9, the ca Is is drawnagainst end face 1 and the bracket simultaneously clamped against thest.

The brac et' is proportioned so that the cable is supported at such adistance in front of the post that when an automobile or truck 10 wheelstrikes the cable and lances therealong; the hub will not strike t epost. The shape illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 is not exclusive, as variousother forms may be used, but

this form is preferred because it is strong, 10:;

simple, efiicient and easy to reduce.

One modification of this racket is shown in Fig. 5, in which the loop10" of the hook bolt is flattened, at its forward point of contact withthe cable 12', in order to reduce the thickness of metal which projectsin front of the cable.

The curvature of the-base, or saddle can be adapted to conform to anyparticular size of post, and it will be understood that the invention isnot limited to posts of any particular shape or material, since it isequally applicable to posts of any contour whatever or of anyconstruction.

I claim:

1. A hi hway barrier or guard comprising in com ination a post having atransverse hole therethrough, a bolt positioned in the hole and threadedto receive a nut on the side of the post opposite the highway, the otherend of the bolt being bent to form a J-shaped hook, a rigid hollowtruncated spacing member adapted to seat with its larger end against thepost and having an outer wall bored to permit passage therethough of theshank of the bolt, and a cable seated on the outer wall of the spacingmember and retained thereon by the hook bolt.

2. A highway barrier guard comprising a post having a hole therethrough,a rigid separate hollow spacing member having an open end adapted toseat on the post, a cable, and a hook-bolt adapted to pass through thespacing member and post and to receive a clamping nut beyond the post,the spacing member having an outer wall bored to permit passagetherethrough of both the shank and hooked end of the bolt, whereby toclamp the cable to the spacing member and the latter to the post.

3. In a roadway barrier comprising a rigid post and a flexible cableattached thereto, means for supporting the cable on and spacing it fromthe post comprising a rigid hollow truncated spacing member having anopen end adapted to seat on the side of the post, the outer endcomprising a wall adapted to furnish a bearing for the cable, and ahook-bolt adapted to engage the cable at its hooked end, the spacingmember having a bore to ermit passage therethrough of the shank o thebolt, the post having an aligned opening to permit passage of the shankof the bolt, and the bolt having a straight shank adapted to assentirely through the spacing member an post and to receive a clampingmember beyond the post, whereby to detachably fasten the cable to thespacing member and the latter to the post.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

NORMAN F. BROWN.

